Formal Garden With Golden Gates, Manderston House

This is a large, rectangular, formal garden created circa 1898-1901 by John Kinross, closely aligned with the North elevation of Manderston House. The garden is divided into four quarters and features a principal gateway to the South. A walled kitchen garden lies to the North, accessed by a classical gateway and containing greenhouses.

The garden is enclosed by dwarf walls to the South topped with hooped railings supported by channelled ashlar piers at regular intervals. Tall, flat-coped walls define the East and West boundaries. A brick wall separates the formal and kitchen gardens and runs along the rear Northern boundary. A variety of decorative garden furniture is present, including benches, urns, basins, and ornamental features.

The main Golden Gates consist of a tripartite gateway with four corniced and channelled ashlar pillars — a taller pair centrally positioned — and a fluted frieze topped with cherubic statues. Ornate, partly-gilded wrought-iron gates, a two-leaf gate centrally, are topped with a foliate overthrow. Lower ashlar walls with curved coping flank pedestrian gates, which are punctuated by mythological statues of a sphinx and a stylized lion.

An eastern Portico Gate is designed in a Roman style, flanked by channelled ashlar columns, the cornices of which extend as an overthrow with modillions. This gateway sits within dwarf walls supporting four pairs of twisted columns, inspired by those in the Lower Church at Assisi. A low, decorative wrought-iron gate with gilding completes the entrance.

A small Alcove features a pedimented opening leading to a bowed recess, constructed of ashlar with a fluted frieze and paterae. Inside the recess is a lattice timber round-arched screen and a lattice-backed curved bench.

An archway, centrally located within the brick division wall between the formal and kitchen gardens, is pedimented ashlar with paired Ionic columns, a banded entablature with a pulvinated frieze, and a keystone over a semicircular arched opening. The archway is flanked by two-leaf wrought-iron gates with an armorial overthrow and gilding. It is positioned in line with the Golden Gates, offering a clear view.

The Urn Gateway features a pair of square ashlar sandstone gate piers with cornices and swagged urn finials, flanking a pedestrian gate with decorative wrought-iron and a shield.

An Italianate fountain, located centrally within the Italian garden, features a gadrooned stone basin supported by four consoled busts, with an upper basin centered with a statue of two playful cherubs holding a fluted spout. An octagonal perimeter is marked by ashlar balustrades with flat coping.

A circular ashlar garden seat has four console divisions, square backs, and a large bronze urn at its center with gadrooning, swagging, and lion masque bosses.

An Anniversary Basin is a rectangular, leaded basin with chamfered corners, embossed with bell-bugle wreaths and an inscription dedicating it to the silver wedding of the Bailie’s in 1911.

A pair of stone lions are posed rampant at the head of steps.

The Shell Basin is an oval basin with gadrooning, panelled with a shell motif and supporting four duck statues and winged cherubs.